Clutch Slipping

I have just overhauled/inspected my clutch.

The fibre plates are within spec for the wear limit and the steels are all in good shape. i added some new springs (EBC from KZ rider) a APE needle bearing pusher and a new Barnett cable. Now after putting it back together it appears to be slipping. when i am runing about 5 grand and accelerate I can see the tach spinning up but no acceleration yeah!!

I added MOTUL 5100 (10w040) synthetic as well..

I suspect one of the following..

1. Synthetic oil?
2. Wrong springs?
3. cable adjustment?

Start with the cable adjustment - it's the easiest and most likely.

Not sure if this applies to your bike, but here's some clutch adjustment procedures:

Initial clutch adjusment


As to 1973 Z1 through 1979 KZ1000, performing the clutch pushrod adjustment is shown in the factory service manual (and owner manual) as required routine maintenance. Seems this is sometimes overlooked, ignored or simply disregarded in a headlong rush toward addressing the plates and springs for correction of a clutch slippage problem.

If the clutch pushrod gap has reduced or vanished (from perfectly normal ordinary gradual wearing of the clutch plate material), the simple quick cheap easy fix is often a clutch pushrod adjustment. The "other" fix is replacing the clutch plates, which returns the clutch plate material to "thick as new" thereby restoring the required gap in the clutch push rod (and without having to deal with the dreaded 30 second clutch pushrod adjustment).

Where measurements after clutch disassembly are found within specs, boo on any failure to having first tried adjusting the pushrod gap.


Here it is, straight from Mama Kaw's lips:

"Clutch push rod adjustment -- Need and Purpose"

The FSM (factory service manual) covering Z1 and KZ900 includes a periodic maintenance chart requiring clutch push rod adjustment at 2000 mile (3000 km) intervals and explains the need there for in separate text, which explanation is quoted verbatim as follows:

"Besides cable stretch, clutch plate wear also causes the clutch to go out of adjustment, with a decrease in push rod play. Due to this wear, the push rod gradually moves closer to the clutch release lever (at the lower end of the clutch cable) until it touches the adjusting screw. When the rod is touching the screw and therefore has no play, the clutch will not engage fully and clutch slippage will occur. Note that the clutch push rod does not necessarily have play just because the clutch hand lever has play, and so hand lever play alone cannot be used to determine whether or not the clutch requires adjustment."

The FSM covering '77-'79 KZ1000's includes a periodic maintenance chart requiring clutch adjustment at 5000 km intervals, and explains the need there for in slightly different language, which explanation is quoted verbatim as follows:

"Clutch plate wear also causes the clutch to go out of adjustment. This wear causes the play between the push rod and the adjusting screw to gradually diminish until the push rod touches the adjusting screw. When this play is lost, the clutch will not engage fully, causing the clutch to slip.
NOTE: Even though the proper amount of play exists at the clutch lever, clutch lever play alone cannot be used to determine whether or not the clutch requires adjustment."

aacoop wrote:

I have just overhauled/inspected my clutch.

The fibre plates are within spec for the wear limit

How did the friction plates look? Were they glazed?

yes i have adjusted the cable..
thx

not too bad

i was told not to put synthetic oil in my kz1100

Ted

Lots of topics here on clutch adjustment. Try the "Search" -function and study a bit.

Usually on a stock motor plates won´t slip so in most cases start with adjusting reloease mechanism and then cable.

KZ1100 has (I think) the infamous "3 balls and a ramp" set-up which is very easy to adjust but needs to be dead-on. If not it´l slip or stick.

First adjust release assy. Open the small ´2 bolt cover on sprocket cover. Then you´ll see a bolt with a locking nut. Release the nut a and turn the bolt (with a screwdriver)counterclockwise till you feel resistance. Then go back 1§/4 turn and tighten the locknut. You must hold the bolt with screwdriver when tightenin otherwise you´ll turn the bolt too.

Second adjust the cable so that there´s as little as possible play on the clutch lever. Just enough to release but not a bit more. If there is too much play you´ll have a risk to pull those 3 ballsbearing out of their grooves on flat surface. This will jam your cluth open. If this happens, loosen the 4 bolts holding the sprocket cover. This will easy the pressure on release mechanism and baals will fall back in their grooves.

Phew, admin, is it possible to have this subject somehow to stick on top of tech forum;) I´ve written this a few times already....